Just like the 1966 recitation-song, Alice's Restaurant, you can get anything you want with the 2004 Pontiac Vibe.

Do you want an inexpensive sport hatchback with a Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price below $17,000? Take a look at the Pontiac Vibe.

Maybe you want to check out a 180 horsepower, six speed, GT styled pocket rocket that will blast from 0-60 mph in the low 8-second range? Then check out the 2004 Pontiac Vibe GT. You can even add a SPO supercharger direct from General Motors Service and Parts Operations to jump the horsepower of the base 1.8 liter powerplant approximately 35% by adding 7.5 pounds of boost.

It could be that you value a mini sporty utility vehicle with All Wheel Drive and a highly flexible interior configuration? Well you are in luck, because the 2004 Vibe AWD might be just what you are looking for.

You make the choice because you can get anything you want at Pontiac's version of Alice's Restaurant.

Our test vehicle for the week however was none of the three renditions listed above. In fact I would not have ordered the configuration that we drove this week. Our Vibe started out as a base $16,485 vehicle. But with over $6,000 worth of options the final MSRP had ballooned to over $23,000 putting this two-wheel drive compact squarely in the realm of some very tough competition.

I did enjoy the XM radio option, which would be great for anyone who travels from one media market to another. The ability to get the same digital quality variety of sound all across the country is a neat idea. The 100 coast-to-coast channels of original music, news, sports, and talk will cost an extra $9.99 per month but is well worth it for some.

I guess I would forego some of the sport appearance accessories because I am a cheap tightwad. However the 2004 Pontiac Vibe was not made for cheap tightwads from my generation. In fact if you were actually around when Alice's Restaurant was released then you are not part of the target market for this vehicle.

This is a youth oriented crossover vehicle sharing essentially the same DNA as the Toyota Matrix with the same attention to function as all Toyotas. Interior seating is comfortable as well as flexible. I especially like the front passenger seat that fold forward into a tabletop. You can even plug in small appliances normally reserved for home or office use into the dash mounted 110-volt outlet.

The EPA rating of 36 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg for the manual transmission in the city makes operation economical for tightwad adults as well as perpetually broke teenagers. My base test vehicle with the 1.8 Liter engine and automatic transmission produces more horsepower than its direct competitors and was adequate while no speed demon. Since it is based on the new Toyota Corolla chassis the Vibe should provide a foundation for "Fast and Furious" aftermarket treatment.

Again it's all up to you. The 2004 Pontiac Vibe is a great competitor in the youth oriented sport market. It's a good foundation with a distinctive look.

You can get anything you want with the 2004 Pontiac Vibe. Just watch the cost of the options. Whatever Vibe you decide on, you will be happy that you made a good choice.

2004 Pontiac Vibe
Price as tested: $23,260
Available now at your local Pontiac Dealership

MSRP*
Base Vibe $17,045
Vibe GT $20,115
Vibe AWD $20,465

*Tax, title, license and optional equipment are extra Incentives not included

Available now at your local Pontiac dealer

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